17 July 2016

Fortnightly Favourites #3

3rd post in a series? That may be a record for longevity! I always begin with good intentions, but fizzle out. Well, I am determined that this series will endure. Once again, my fortnight has been very click-happy with that lil' bloglovin' heart. I think I spent longer deciding on which posts to include, than I did writing up! That being said, lots of iced coffee was drunk and a list was made. I hope you love them as much as me...

Living

The Jungle Book Afternoon Tea - Dear anyone, please take me here? After watching The Jungle Book last month, I am hooked on anything Mowgli and Baloo - do you think they'd let me take Millie? After all, there wouldn't be a tea without some Bear-necessities...A Day for DIY + Room makeover! - I could jump into the screen when I saw Aspyn's photos... wood + fairy lights + photos + cushions = interior paradise. I really want to make my own wooden photo hanger now; why buy when you can DIY? Especially when you can recruit your dog to find that perfect twig.

A Guide to Greenery from a serial plant killer- confession time: like Rose, I am also a terrible plant parent. I don't mean to be, as I adore flowers and nearly always have some in my room. Recently, I've been wanting to get an actual plant, so this guide couldn't have come at a better time. Bonsai tree come at me!

How to sass up the end of your bed- This storage solution is genius! I already have a wicker basket in my room, but never thought of stacking them. As ever, Hannah is a girl after my own heart - including her #grannygoals. With my crochet hook and signed Mary Berry book, the OAP life chooses me.* Hannah could write a post on bin collection and make it funny. If you haven't read her blog, where have you been?!

Animal Crossing Problems - I love blast-from-the-past posts, thank-you Lauren! Oh to re-live the days of Cashew and her unrequited love for Loko the fox... Yes, I named my person after a nut. I completely agree about hairdresser Harriet, they should have called the salon Tony and WHY?! I looked like a bloody poodle.I'll be right back, just off to dig my Nintendo out of the "stuff I never use but can't let go of" drawer...

Wellbeing

Fight and Flight - "This isn’t a masquerade ball, it's the dance of my life and I want you to be able to see it from all angles." From words to images, Megan's posts will stop you in your tracks. This particular piece, which addresses the mask of social media, may be my favourite yet. "These fairytale photos are only a fraction of someone else's day" is a truth I need to remind myself of daily! Life isn't made for Instagram. Your Story Matters - I read this post when I was having "one of those days". One line in particular stayed with me: "there is no wrong way to tell my story." Kelsey's piece is an example of what i love most in blogging: honesty. We need to say what we feel is right - "twist a lid off that tight bottle" and escape this bubble of likes and followers . I was hesitant to publish my satirical "blogging advice" piece last week; it was largely due to Kelsey's openness that I did. Wisdom of the week: Blog for you. Why are we so bad at taking compliments? - "The one thing I rarely find myself saying is, simply, thank-you." Well I'm saying thank-YOU to Jaclyn for this post; as Little Miss low-self-esteem, it's a topic I can really empathise with. I'm going to follow her lead and make a concerted effort to accept the next compliment someone gives me. No downplaying, simply acceptance!Not Being Defined by a Number - "NUMBERS. SUCK" could be the slogan of my life. So I am sending Lillie a gazillion and one virtual hugs right now; this post struck more chords than an Ed Sheehan song. Blood sugar readings, calories, grades, OCD compulsions... numbers follow me 24/7. Megan's post has encouraged me to focus on the non-number positives in my life; a lovely comment on my blog, or a successful craft project. In the end, Megan is right: "she had a bloody wonderful heart" trumps any follower count.

Styling

All of these posts are dedicated to my CSC summer love...

Meet Poppy- I have fallen in love... with a bag. Forget #HiddleSwift, #Poppyson has arrived. For my birthday, mum suggested a summer-friendly Cambridge Satchel. I was pretty set on the Cloud Bag, but I think I've had a change of heart. I never thought of getting a backpack; it's not my usual style at all! Olivia's post has made me question my entire bag being. Could this be the start of a happily ever after? Introducing the colour poppin' Poppy bag - Okay, Periwinkle blue has chosen me. After seeing Sophia Rosemary parading the pastel blue Poppy, I am decided! Poppy and periwinkle are a match made in heaven. What's more, both the denim dress and ruffle blouse in this post are on my ASOS wishlist. What more of a sign could we need?

Oh Baby Blue- Periwinkle blue again; this colour is the true princess of pastels. So we're sorted on colour, now here's the dilemma... my eyes have locked on the push-lock and can't look away! I thought I was decided, but my heart is torn. To Poppy or not to poppy? And Hamlet thought his question was hard...

Speaking Out

For the record: I'm not pregnant. What I am is fed up- Jennifer Goddess Aniston has struck gold with this post. If you've been living under a rock and somehow missed her Huffington Post article, read read READ! "We get to determine our own 'happily ever after' for ourselves." You are your life; no one has the right to script it for you.

The dangerous side of wellness blogs- Another brilliant post from one of my favourite bloggers. I can really empathise with her rant against "freelee the goddamn banana girl!" AMEN. After reading this, I watched the "Clean Eating, Dirty Secrets" documentary and it was so good. Go go go! "Clean eating" is a sensitive topic for me, given my own tumultuous relationship with food. While I will never blame the media for my eating disorder, it does make recovery more difficult. It's hard to say 'I donut care', when we're told to Krispy Scream in the face of sugar, so 2016 needs voices like Rihanna!

The Wellness Debt cycle - "we don't need those zebra-print yoga pants, or an App that tells us how to exercise. Just a little bit more self-love." I could quote every line of this post, it all rings so true! As Sophie says, wellness existed before lycra and the Kale Chip. You can search the App Store and supermarket shelves for an answer, but you won't find it in a goji berry. True wellness comes from WITHIN.

Let's Talk about Animal Testing & Cruelty - As someone who is passionate about animal welfare, I've also started to buy cruelty-free makeup - I will do a review of my top products at some point. Post like Lucy's are a needle in the MAC haystack, so I am really grateful to her for sharing. You don't need 50 shades of Estee to be a successful blogger!